The state of Minnesota offers residents plenty of gambling opportunities. Regulated gambling in Minnesota began in the 1940s, when games of Bingo were first permitted. Residents would have to wait 40 years until betting on horse racing and pari-mutuel pools were legalized in the 1980s. The 80s would also see Minnesota allowing a state lottery.
As for casinos in Minnesota, seven Native American tribes received permission to open tribal casinos in the 80s, and were able to offer slot machines and video poker. Since then, Minnesota has decided to also allow tribal casinos to offer Blackjack and electronic table games.
Best Minnesota Casino Sites
Minnesota Online Gambling
Minnesota has not spent much time regulating online gambling, so the only form that is regulated is off-track betting on horse racing. Daily Fantasy Sports are also legal in Minnesota, with DraftKings, FanDuel, CBS Sports, and Yahoo all accepting players from the state. Lottery tickets can no longer be bought over the Internet. There was a time when it was permitted, but the state attempted twice to ban the practice, succeeding the second time.
As for casino games, there are no laws directly affecting casino sites. Players are not forbidden from playing at casino sites, but must find a reputable casino site. Casino US can recommend plenty of safe and secure casinos where players from Minnesota can gamble for real money.
Live Gambling
For residents or visitors looking to gambling in Minnesota, there are quite a few options available. The first option is charities holding bingo games, as well as raffles. There is also the lottery and scratch cards, both of which are available at retail stores throughout the state.
There are two tracks offering horse racing, which gamblers can bet on. The tracks also host card clubs, where gamblers can play various forms of poker, and baccarat. Finally, there are numerous tribal casinos that offer slot machines, video poker, blackjack, and more.
Bars in Minnesota are also permitted to offer pull-tab games, which are similar to slot games. These were legalized to help cover the costs of the new Minnesota Vikings stadium, however, that plan did not go well.
Gambling Laws in Minnesota
Minnesota permits numerous forms of gambling, but there are also some forms which are not. For starters, betting on horse racing is allowed, and players can even do this away from the track. Minnesota charities are also permitted to allow certain gambling games, like bingo and raffles.
If you’re looking for slot machines and video poker, gamblers will have to visit one of the state’s tribal casinos. Tribal casinos were required to agree to a compact with Minnesota and pay a fee in order to offer electronic casino games. Minnesota also permits Blackjack to be offered by tribal casinos, however, no fee is required for Blackjack, as it is also offered in the state’s card clubs.
The state’s racetracks are also allowed to operate a poker room, offering house-banked casino games using cards. Gamblers visiting the poker rooms will be able to play a variety of poker games, such as Texas Hold’em, Pai Gow Poker, Omaha, Three Card Poker, and Seven-Card Stud. The poker rooms can also offer blackjack and baccarat. Unfortunately, Roulette and Craps are not permitted in Minnesota.
Bars in Minnesota are permitted to offer electronic pull-tab games, without a gambling license. These games look very similar to slot games, but are played using tablets. All proceeds from pull-tabs go towards charity, as well as covering the cost of construction for the new Minnesota Vikings stadium.
As for the gambling age, the minimum age is 18 years old. However, if the casino serves alcohol, it can choose to increase the minimum age to 21. Many casinos choose to do so, while the state’s card clubs typically do not.
Minnesota Gambling History
When it comes to gambling in Minnesota, gambling has been around officially since 1945. Bingo was the first gambling game to be regulated, but only charities were permitted to hold bingo games. Charities were then allowed to offer raffles and tip boards in 1978, with pull-tabs regulated in 1981.
The following year, in 1982, horse racing was legalized, with off-track betting permitted in 1989. However, off-track betting would be deemed unconstitutional in 1992. A constitutional amendment was passed in 1994 to permit off-track betting, but the public landed up rejecting it.
Tribal casinos were legalized in 1989, with slots and video poker were permitted. In 1991, blackjack was added to the list of permitted casino games. Currently, there are seven Native American Casinos in Minnesota.
FAQs
Yes, there are several forms of gambling legal in Minnesota, including betting on horse racing, charity bingo and raffles, the lottery, and Native American Casinos.
The Native American Casinos in Minnesota are permitted to offer slot games, video poker, electronic table games, and blackjack.
Yes, Daily Fantasy Sports are legal in Minnesota.
Players need to be at least 18 years old to gamble. However, any casino that serves alcohol is permitted to increase the minimum age to 21.
Charities in Minnesota can offer a decent selection of games. These include raffles, bingo, pull-tabs, tip boards, and paddlewheels.
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